Pulpit or rostrum



UNITED STATES PATENT 'i OFFICE.

DAVID EBERHART, OF SHREWSBURY,'PENNSYLVANIA PU LPIT OR ROSTRUIVI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 506,588, dated October10, 1893.

Application iiled March A2, 1893. Serial No. 464.406. (No model.) Y

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that, I DAVID C. EBERHART, a citizen of the United States,residing at Shrewsbury, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania,have invented new and useful Improvements in Pulpits or Rostrums, of

which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to providea new and improved constructionof pulpits, rostrums and the like, wherebythe same may be adjustedvertically to any desired height suited to the convenience of thespeaker.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple and economicalmeans for concealing from the View of the audience the mechanicalconstruction of the pulpit or rostrum which wlllat thesame timeautomatically accommodate itself to the varying heights of saidpulpit-or rostrum and present a symmetrical surface to the audience.These ob- Jects I accomplish in the manner and by the means hereinafterfully set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the'device, shown raised to its extremeheight. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the device, taken on theline X`X Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a top plan v1ew with the cushion or tableremoved. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, the side curtain being removed,showing the device telescoped or closed. Fig. 5 is a broken detailsectional yiew of the sections composing the supporting base, the topsection being telescoped into the one next below.

Similar igures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalviews.

In the drawings the numeral l indicates the table comprising the top ofthe pulpit or rostrum, inclined slightly to the rear for the convenienceof the speaker as is customary. v

` The numeral 2 denotes the supporting base to which the table lisattached, which is composed of a number of sections each adapted totelescope or nest into the one next below, as shown in Fig. 4, or to bedrawn out and retained as shown in Figs. l and 2.

The means for retaining the sections in their raised position consist ofa series of spring plates or stops 3 attached at their upper ends to thesides of the sections. These .plates are adapted to automatically springout and engage the tops of the sections `next below when the saidsections are drawn out, as shown in Figs. l and 5. The sides of thesections are recessed as at 4 to receive the spring plates 3 when thesections are` telescoped.

In order to prevent each section from dropping through the section nextbelow I provide the stop plates 5 located at the inner lower edges ofthe sections which receive and retain the bottom edges of the sectionsnext above. This is more particularly shown in Fig. 5 where the topsection is shown telescoped into the one next below and retained by thestop plate 5. In order also to prevent the sections from beingcompletely withdrawn one from another, hooks 6 are attached to the innerand outer surfaces of the sections at their front and rear sides asshown in Figs. 2 and 3, which interlock with each other when the nsections are drawn out, thereby preventing the complete withdrawal ofthe sections from each other.

At the front and on each side of the pulpit or rostrum are located'curtains 7 of any suitable material.. These curtains are permaneutlyattached to the edges of the table 1i, and are of a length sufficient toconceal the base of the rostrum or pulpit when raised to its fullextent. The front curtain is unattached at its lower end and will drapegracefully whenthe table l is placed atany one 0f its intermediateheights.

Upon each side of the base at its bottom are located brackets 7supporting spring rollers 8 of the construction well known in windowshades. The lower ends of the side curtains are rolled upon theserollers7 which Will act to wind up the curtains thereon when the tableis lowered, and payout the same when the table is raised, thus keepingthe curtain taut at all times, and presenting a smooth, symmetrical andunbroken surface.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the pulpit is in theposition shown in Fig. 4, in order to raise the same, lift the table land the sections will withdraw one from the other until the plates 3 ofeach section spring out and engage the top of the next lower section,thereby retaining them in their raised position,the hooks 6preventingthe complete withdrawal of the sections from one an- IOOother. To telescope the same press the plates 3 of each sectionsuccessively into their respective recesses 4, whereupon the sectionswill slide one within another, being limited in their downward movementby the stop plates 5. It is obvious that any one or more of the sectionsmay be telescoped, leaving the rest raised, in order to accommodate thepulpit or rostrum to speakers of various heights.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a pulpit or rostrum the combination with a telescopic base formedin sections, of spring plates attached to said sections and adapted toreain them in their raised position by engaging the sections next below,and hooked plates attached to said sections for preventing the completew'.thdrawal ot' the latter one from another, substantially as shown anddescribed.

I 2. In a pulpit or rostrum. the combination with a telescopic baseformed in sections, of spring plates thereon for retaining the same inits raised position, hooks for preventing the complete withdrawal of thesections one from another, and stops for limiting the telescoping ofeach section with the one next below, substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. In a pulpit or rostrum, the combination with a table and a verticallyadjustable base, of front and side curtains depending from the table andconcealing the base, and spring rollers mounted on the base for windingand unwinding said side curtains to conform with the height to whichsaid base is adjusted, substantially as shown and described.

DAVID o. EBERHART.

Witnesses:

M. J. RIENNYAU, B. S. HARBLE.

